04/03/2012, Velvet Room, Morning
Morning eerie light fills the Velvet Room, casting a honeyed glow that mixes up with the blue tones of the room over the cluttered counter where Makoto leans, steam curling from his mug of jasmine tea.
The scent of miso soup and freshly toasted rice lingers in the air, mingling with the buttery aroma of tamagoyaki Ryoji devours with gusto. The Death slouches on a stool, his scarf dangling perilously close to his plate, his grin as bright and chaotic as the jazz melody humming from his phone.
"So" Ryoji says around a mouthful of egg, slapping a leaflet onto the counter. The paper crackles, its edges frayed from being tucked in his pocket
A neon saxophone glows on the front beneath the words Blue Moon Lounge: Open Mic Night! "Tomorrow's our big debut as a Kuoh student. We should celebrate".
Makoto's brow furrows as he scans the ad. "By… auditioning as their pianist?"
"Exactly!" declares Ryoji. "So, I want you to sin-". As Ryoji was ending his sentence he gets immediately stopped by Makoto. "No" he states.
"Don't be shy! You are so good at it" Ryoji says trying to convince Makoto, but the boy is adamant on his refusal. "Being good at it doesn't mean I like it".
"Pretty please?"
Makoto's resolve cracks, just a hair. "…Just watching".
"Yes!" Ryoji pumps a fist, nearly upending his miso.
Makoto sighs, the ghost of a smile tugging at his lips as he traces the leaflet's neon saxophone. Prodigy. The word sits uneasily, a relic of a life before seals and Shadows. But for Ryoji? He'll endure a day of singing at a local, public bar.
04/03/2012, Old Town Kuoh, Day
Ryoji and Makoto wander down a narrow alley in Kuoh's Old Town, the air thick with the faint sweetness of cherry blossoms unfurling in early spring. At night lanterns would cast warm pools of light over weathered wooden facades and moss-kissed stone paths, the district a tapestry of sloping eaves and latticed windows that cling to the past.
"This place… it's like Kyoto all over again" Ryoji muses his voice hinting a bit of nostalgia, his gaze drifting to a gnarled cherry tree shedding petals onto a sagging tiled roof. "Same stubborn beauty, same smell of history".
Makoto shoves his hands into his pockets, skepticism narrowing his eyes. "You sure the club's here? Feels more like a museum than a jazz spot".
"Patience, mon ami!" Ryoji says dramatically, his grin sharp as he jabs a finger toward a building tucked between two traditional machiya.
The structure is a relic of Edo-era craftsmanship, white-and-yellow timber walls, paper lanterns swaying lazily by the entrance, but a crisp white banner flutters above the door, its bold black letters declaring: ElegantVille.
"Voilà! History with a beat, I really like this place" Ryoji crows, sweeping an arm toward the door like a showman.
Inside, the fusion of old and new hums in the air: tatami mats blend with art deco lamps, while a polished grand piano gleams beside a wall hung with antique kimonos. A white-haired girl in a sleek black waitress uniform whirls to greet them, her light blue eyes brightening. "Ryoji Mochizuki! You actually showed up!"
"Wouldn't miss your family's hidden gem, Momo" Ryoji replies, slinging an arm around Makoto's shoulders. "Meet my partner-in-crime, Makoto Yuki! Singer, guitarist, piano virtuoso, everything related to music he's the right person and terrible liar when it comes to hiding his talents" .
Momo clasps her hands, leaning forward with a conspiratorial smile. "Makoto Yuki? The Student Council's been buzzing about you! Guess fate's funny. Dad's been begging me to find a pianist since he turned this place into a jazz haunt. Traditional exterior, rebellious soul" she adds, gesturing to the room's clash of jazz posters and calligraphy scrolls.
"He wanted… atmosphere without losing roots".
Makoto arches a brow. "Rebellious? Feels more like a time capsule with a saxophone".
Ryoji snorts. "Says the guy who plays Chopin like he's dueling the devil. Anyway" He pivots to Momo, mischief sparking in his tone. "You mentioned needing a singer too, right?"
Momo sighs, fiddling with her apron. "Dad's desperate. Local talent's scarce, and corporate scouts want someone 'marketable'. It's… a mess".
Before she finishes, Ryoji slaps Makoto's back. "Lucky you! This guy's got a voice smoother than midnight whiskey. Right, Makoto?"
Makoto freezes, then turns sharply toward the exit. "I'm out".
"Wait!" Ryoji lunges, hooking Makoto's shoulders. "Come on, think of it as… expanding your artistic horizons! Plus, Momo'll pay you enough to buy... I don't know, something!"
Momo steps closer, clasping her hands pleadingly. "Please, Yuki? We're drowning here. This place really needs that someone".
Makoto stares at the floor, jaw tight. The silence stretches, broken only by the creak of floorboards and Ryoji's overly innocent whistle. Finally, Makoto drags a hand through his hair, defeat roughening his voice. "...Fine. One night".
Ryoji whoops, nearly tackling him. "That's the spirit! We'll kill it you on vicals, me on piano. Jazz duo of the century!"
Momo claps, relief softening her features. "Thank you so much! Dad'll be thrilled, I'll prep everything for tonight!"
As Ryoji rambles about setlists, Makoto eyes the piano, its polished surface reflecting his reluctant resolve. 'Why do I let him talk me into these things?' he thinks.
The basement of the Old School Building reeks of damp stone and lingering frost, the air sharp enough to bite. Rias and Sona stand flanked by their Queens, their human-like faces hardened under the flicker of a single overhead bulb. Between them, the massive block of ice imprisoning Sothillis glows faintly, its surface etched with jagged fractures.
"How do we thaw him without unleashing a tantrum?" Rias mutters, crimson nails tapping her arm as she eyes the frozen oni.
Sona adjusts her glasses, her voice clipped. "The thawing is simple. The problem is what follows." She nods to Tsubaki, who kneels to trace fresh binding sigils into the floor. "From what Kiba and Koneko suggests he's… unyielding".
"Perhaps we should involve the Underworld" Tsubaki begins, but Rias and Sona snap in unison: "No".
Sona's jaw tightens. "This stays between us. We'll handle it here" Akeno's laugh is honeyed, but her eyes glint. "Always so proud, these heiresses. No wonder their families fret".
Rias ignores her, raising a palm as swirling crimson energy coalesces. "Ready?" Sona gives a curt nod, her magic circles flaring to life, layered rings of azure light humming with restraint. The ice shatters under Rias's bolt, and Sothillis collapses, gasping, frost clinging to his scarred skin.
He lurches upward, muscles coiled, but the bindings snap taut, chains of light pinning him mid-snarl. "Devil whelps" he spits, veins bulging as he strains against the magic. "If that witc* hadn't meddled, your pawns would be carrion!"
Rias's aura flares, ruby hair lifting like flame. "This territory is ours" she hisses. "Who sent you? Speak, or your death becomes a footnote".
Sothillis's yellowed teeth gleam as he leers at Akeno and Tsubaki. "Himejima. Shinra. Traitors to your blood, licking devil boots"
Lightning crackles in Akeno's palms, but Rias's glare silences her. "Do not say that name" spits Akeno. Tsubaki remains still, though her knuckles whiten around her naginata.
Sona steps forward, her voice glacial. "Last chance oni. Who sent you?"
"No one" he growls. "I serve Yomi's mistress, and she hungers".
Rias's destruction sphere hums, inches from his face. "Then greet her in hell" .
Sothillis throws back his head, laughter raw and unhinged. "She'll feast on your bones!"
The orb detonates.
Ash drifts where he stood. Sona exhales, pushing up her glasses. "A waste of time."
04/03/2012, Evening
The ElegantVille is more crowded than usual making the owner of the jazz bar, Momo's father, Haruki Hanakai happy as a clam. The man greets and serves each and every customer helped by his daughter and his wife. Meanwhile Ryoji plays the piano in the center of the club with Makoto singing accompanied by his friend's music.
Everyone enjoys the music and the evening goes as smooth as silk. It's late when the ElegantVille closes and it's owner reaches for Makoto and Ryoji hugging them with a near hig. "Ah, you were magnificent boys!" he says beaming with happiness. "I don't even remember the last time my bar was so crowded. Thank you so much I hope you'll come again" says the man. "Yes thank you Mochizuki, Yuki" Momo, who was finishing to tidy the tables, thanks the two musicians.
"We should be the ones to thank you it's been so much time since I had so much fun" says Ryoji "Right Makoto?". "I guess so" answers Makoto. "You were astounding Yuki!" Momo grabs Makoto's hand beaming with light. "You are such a great singer!" the girl overwhelms Makoto with her excitement. "You could almost say he's a god of music" jokes Ryoji teasingly looking at Makoto who rolls his eyes.
'Death's not wrong' Orpheus Telos chuckles from Makoto's mind making him sigh.
"Well tomorrow is our first school day I wouldn't like being late" Makoto then sits up and thanks Mr. Hanakai for his kindness. "Party killer" boos Ryoji earning a laughter from Momo.
"The boy's right Momo. Go to bed, I'll do the clean. And goodbye to you guys" gently says the bar's owner. "Ok dad..." whines Momo. As Ryoji and Makoto are about to exit Momo stops the blue haired boy. "Yuki wait! I almost forgot, here's your paycheck, dad added a extra for your great performance" Momo gives Makoto an envelope. "Thanks" answers Makoto. "Well, see you tomorrow!".
'I am Thou. Thou art I. Thou hast established a new bond. Thou shalt have the Universe blessing when choosing to create personas of the Lovers Arcana'
After hearing Elizabeth's voice Makoto smiles and heads back to the Velvet Room with Ryoji.
04/04/2012, Kuoh Academy, School Time
The sky is clear with the Sun warming the city and cherry trees finally fully blossomed. Dozens of Kuoh Academy's students are flowing like a river inside the school ground while chatting among themselves excited for the new school year. The first year students are guided by the teachers to the auditorium with the second and third years close behind. Once the hall is fully crowded with students the principal wishes everyone the best year possible.
After the principal greets the crowd, Sona goes on stage ready to give her fellow students a welcoming speech. "Good morning to you all, I am Sona Shitori and for the ones of you who don't know I'm the Student Council president" Sona starts her speech with many students looking at her in awe, it's clear she has many admirers.
"Today a new school year begins, which I hope will be full of fulfillment and happy memories, I as president of the Student Council vow to make the environment for all of you as pleasant as possible encouraging you and nurturing your talents. I am honored to be your student president and always remember that you can always count on me and the Student Council for any problem" as Sona ends her speech the crowd vigorously clap their hands.
"Ehy Makoto what is our class?" asks Ryoji to Makoto hitting him with his elbow to get his attention. "We were put in different classes. Mine is 3-A, yours 3-B" answers Makoto standing up with his schoolbag under his shoulder. "No fair" complains Ryoji.
"Hello class we have a new student this year. Please present yourself" the teacher gives Makoto a chalk so he can write his name. "I'm Makoto Yuki, pleased to meet you" he quietly says. Makoto notices that he's in the dame classroom as Sona and Tsubaki.
"Are there any questions for Yuki?" asks the teacher looking at the students. Some students ask Makoto some basic questions, like where is he from, what does he like and his hobbies. After answering Makoto sits down in the only empty seat near Sona and the lesson starts.
Meanwhile Ryoji was being overwhelmed by questions by his classmates. "What is your favorite color?" "I love your scarf" "What do you do in your free time?" "Are you single?" "Can we go on a date?" "You are so cool!" "Let's be friends" "Who do you think you are?".
The questions doesn't seem to end so the teacher slams her palm on the desk. "Enough!" she shouts silencing the class. "Mochizuki you can sit down, thank you" she briefly says. Ryoji sits down next to a red haired girl. "Hi. Ryoji Mochizuki nice to meet you" he says smiling. "Rias Gremory, nice to meet you too" answers the girl.
As the lunch time bell rings Ryoji is surrounded by girls asking him to eat together. "I'd love to girls, but I promised my friend to eat with him" the girls complain but eventually let Ryoji walk away. 'Guess that even here people's desire for death still remains'.
Ryoji sighs a sad forced smile on his face thinking at how much people, like shadows, craved to be reunited with death. 'At least here I'm not the Appraiser, so maybe whichever shadow may appear won't rush here. I hope'. While he walks Ryoji stumbles across a short girl. "Oh sorry, I didn't see you" say Ryoji offering his hand to the girl.
Koneko stares at the boy in front of her. 'What was he thinking about? How can someone be so absent minded?' she thinks scrutinizing the black haired boy. He feels and smells strange. Koneko can't decipher what it is, but there is something in this boy that doesn't feel normal. "Are you hurt?" asks concerned Ryoji.
"Sorry I wasn't paying attention. My name is Ryoji Mochizuki! I just transferred here" Ryoji smiles at the girl offering his hand. "Koneko" she says getting back on her feet. "Nice to meet you Koneko! I'd love to speak more with you but I have a place to go bye!" with that said Ryoji hurries towards the cafeteria.
Koneko watches as Ryoji leaves rolling her eyes. 'Should I speak with the President about him?' thinks Koneko thinking about the possibility of Ryoji having a Sacred Gear. 'I just want to eat...' Koneko then goes somewhere secluded to eat her lunch.
"Yuki do you want to eat with us at the Student Council?" asks Sona before Makoto leaves class.
'Knowing Thanatos he's probably asking girls around to go out with him' says Thoth mocking Ryoji. 'What do you mean?' asks Makoto back. 'Nothing Universe, just that you should accept an invitation from someone your age' Makoto scowls. 'Thoth is right, I know you and Thanatos are close, but you are still a kid, Universe, you should frequent people your age. Please don't forgive that just enjoy your time' tenderly says Kohryu. "Yuki?" Sona looks at him confused. "Yes, I'd like to" answers Makoto back to reality.
04/04/2012, Kuoh Academy, After School
The first day of school has passed without problems and Makoto is currently waiting for Ryoji outside of the school gates. "Ehy Makoto!" Ryoji greets him. "Where have you gone during lunch time?" he asks.
"I was at the Student Council" answers Makoto. "Got in trouble?" teases Ryoji "Just kidding. By the way I talked with two girls they asked me if I was interested in joining the kendo club. And so I made your name". "Why?" asks Makoto.
"Why? You are seriously asking me that question? I said them you were pretty good with fencing which is true so what do you think about it?" Ryoji smiles waiting for Makoto's answer.
"I don't think I have much of a choice" answer Makoto defeated making Ryoji laugh. "Let's go" says the incarnation of Death patting his friend's shoulder.
Meanwhile in the Occult Research Club Rias was looking through the window at Ryoji and Makoto. "What are you looking at Rias?" asks Akeno looking at the same direction Rias was looking at. "That boy... Ryoji Mochizuki. You noticed it too today in class?" says Rias without averting her gaze.
"He's already quite popular and it's just been a day. He has an uncommon charm" as the two third years talk Koneko enters the clubroom.
"Hello Koneko" says Akeno greeting her comrade. Koneko looks at Rias who's still deep in thought. "President?" she looks confused seeing Rias behaving like this. "Sorry Koneko I was watching someone" says Rias sitting down. "Was it senpai Mochizuki?" asks the rook. "Yes actually. Have you noticed something?" asks Rias interested.
"When I'm near him I feel something strange. He has something deep within him" says Koneko while munching some snacks.
"Do you think he has a Sacred Gear?" Rias asks hoping for an answer that could help her situation. "It could be" answers the young girl with some candies in her mouth. "Akeno what do you say?" asks Rias to her queen. "I agree with Koneko". "Well let's be watchful then" decides Rias taking a sip from the cup of tea Akeno has just offered her. "Rias have you considered asking Elizabeth for help?" asks Akeno. "Maybe I could hire her as a pact magician, but I'm not sure" answers Rias.
Ryoji brought Makoto to the school's gymnasium where they meet a pink haired girl. "Hello, I'm Katase it's nice to meet you Yuki" the girl looks at Makoto. "Mochizuki said to me that you know how to fence right?" Makoto nods. "Would you like to have a friendly spare?" asks Katase. "No" answers Makoto surprising both Ryoji and Katase. "What? Makoto what are you saying?" says Ryoji. Makoto doesn't answer. "Ehy no problem if you change your mind I'm here" says Katase reassuringly. Ryoji looks at Makoto trying to understand him but he fails.
They are walking home and Makoto is more silent than usual deep hidden behind his music. "Makoto what's the matter?" asks concerned Ryoji. Makoto doesn't answer. "Makoto please don't bottle up your feelings". "I'm going home alone" with that said Makoto separates from Ryoji. 'Makoto...' Ryoji decides to let him alone and walks back to the Velvet Room.
Makoto doesn't know where he's going, he's just walking without a direction deep in thought. 'Universe tell us what the problem is' says Kohryu. 'The dragon's right Universe we are here to help you' says Thoth. 'Everything's fine' lies Makoto to his other selves. His personas try to reach for him, but Makoto ignores them.
The park is quiet, save for the rustle of cherry blossoms drifting lazily in the breeze. Makoto slumps on a weathered bench, his blue hair stark against the muted greens of the trees. His eyes, dull and distant, fixate on nothing, until the crunch of gravel breaks the stillness.
"A kid like you, brooding alone in a place like this? C'mon, life can't be that bad".
The voice is smooth, edged with amusement. Makoto turns to see a man leaning against a lamppost, arms crossed.
He's tall but unassuming, dressed in a tailored leather jacket that clashes with his anachronistic flair, jet-black hair streaked with gold at the front, a goatee framing a smirk that doesn't quite reach his sharp, golden eyes.
Makoto blinks. "...Just thinking".
"Mind if I join?" The man doesn't wait for an answer, dropping onto the bench with a theatrical sigh. "Y'know, when I see a young man sulking this hard, I gotta ask, girl trouble? Family drama? Existential dread?" He grins, nudging Makoto's arm.
The boy tenses but doesn't pull away. "It's… nothing".
"Nothing, huh?" The man leans back, studying him. "Let me guess: you're the type who bottles it all up, plays hero, then wonders why the world feels heavy".
His tone shifts, playful veneer slipping. "Here's some free advice, kid. Hold onto the ones who see you. Without that…" He shrugs. "Hell, even fallen angels get lonely" he says with a sly smile.
Makoto finally meets his gaze, curiosity piercing his apathy. "Who are you?"
The man's grin returns, sharp as a blade. "Azazel. And you?"
"Makoto Yuki".
Azazel's hand shoots out, a calloused palm offered like a challenge. "Pleasure's mine, Makoto. Remember what I said, yeah? Love's the only cheat code in this rigged game".
Makoto hesitates, then shakes his hand. Azazel's grip is firm, his eyes glinting with secrets the boy can't yet parse.
'I am Thou. Thou art I. Thou hast established a new bond. Thou shalt have the Universe blessing when choosing to create Personas of the Councillor Arcana'.
As Makoto hears Elizabeth's voice he feels a stinging pain to his head. He grabs his head in pain. "Ehy kid are you ok?" asks Azazel looking at the boy. Makoto hears his personas fight, but can't discern the voices for the pain.
Then he hears the voice of Lucifer. 'THIS CREATURE IS THE COUNCILLOR? AZAZEL!' He hears Lucifer screaming making him crumble in pain.
Azazel stops Makoto from falling and holds him, something awakening inside his heart, something that has been hidden for millennials.
Azazel's grip tightens as Makoto sways, the boy's trembling frame a stark contrast to the storm raging inside the fallen angel. 'Holiness'. The sensation claws up his spine, not the brittle, borrowed sanctity of sacred gears or relics, but something raw and radiant, shuddering through him like sunlight breaking through millennia of ash. It scalds. It heals.
For a heartbeat, he is no longer Governor of the Fallen, no longer a creature of cunning and corrosion. He is Azazel, the angel he once was, the one who knelt in celestial choirs, whose hands sculpted stars, whose heart knew devotion before it curdled into ambition.
'Impossible'.
Makoto's ragged breaths snap him back. Azazel stares at the boy, his mind a tempest. This is not like Vali, not something thats started as calculated mentorship to mold a weapon, only to become later something genuine. This is… aching.
The boy's pain is a mirror reflecting shadows Azazel buried eons ago, the angel who wept for humanity, who believed in more than power, who fell for daring to dream and love. And now, here, in this mortal's presence… 'Why does it burn so sweetly?'
He kneels, instinct overriding millennia of icy pragmatism. "Breathe. In and out. I'm here". The words slip out, soft and foreign on his tongue. 'Since when do I comfort? Since when do I care like this?'
Makoto's eyes meet his, blue and depthless, and Azazel's chest constricts. Not Father, never Father, but… a resonance. A flicker of that same maddening, divine certainty that once made him rage at heaven's tyranny.
Yet this boy carries it gently, unknowingly, like a lantern in the dark.
'Is this redemption?'. The thought is a blade. Fallen Angels do not redeem. They bargain. They scheme. They claw through eternity wearing their rebellion like armor. But here, now, Azazel's hands, stained with war and hubris, steady a human child, and for the first time in ages, they do not feel unclean.
He laughs inwardly, bitter and awed. Pathetic. Centuries spent dissecting sacred gears, manipulating fate, and it takes a fragile mortal to unravel him with a single, silent cry for help. Makoto's presence is a key turning in a lock he'd forgotten existed, and Azazel hates it. Hates how it terrifies him. Hates how he cannot let go.
'UNIVERSE LET ME DESTROY THIS COWARD! LET MY STARS BURN HIM' Lucifer shouts in rage. 'You are hurting the Universe Lucifer stop this now!' orders Orpheus Telos, but Lucifer does not listen.
'I'M DOING THIS FOR HIM TOO MUSICIAN! THE SOONER HE'S DEAD THE BETTER!' Lucifer tries to manifests himself but he doesn't seem to succeed.
'Morning Star, this is not the Azazel you know' says Kohryu trying to calm down the situation. 'You are being inconsiderate Lucifer' admonishes Apollo.
'Vengeance is not the path we follow my companion!' proclaims Robin Hood. 'Makoto's in pain dear brother, you can feel it too right?' as Helel speaks to his devil-self, Lucifer calms down. He then feels the pain his other self is going through. 'I beg your pardon... Makoto' eventually says the first of the angels.
'Thank you for solving this mess Helel' says Thoth thanking Lucifer's other part.
Azazel makes Makoto lay down and sighs in relief when he sees the boy no more in pain. "I'm sorry" says ashamed Makoto. "No, don't be" Azazel tries to reassure the boy but notices that he's unnerved himself.
"I have to go home" says Makoto standing up. "Right... Well, see you another time boy" says Azazel hiding his nervousness and saying goodbye to the boy. 'What a day' thinks the fallen angel 'I need something strong to drink'.
04/04/2012, Velvet Room, Evening
When Makoto enters the Velvet Room, the air feels heavier than usual, the blue hues of the room pressing down on his shoulders like a weight he can't shake.
Elizabeth, perched elegantly on her chair, tilts her head as she studies him with her piercing, otherworldly gaze. "You seem... troubled, Makoto" she says, her voice melodic yet kinda altered by seeing Makoto's like that. "Is everything quite all right?"
Makoto sighs, running a hand through his blue hair, his exhaustion evident in the slump of his shoulders. "Just... a rough day" he mutters, avoiding her eyes. He isn't in the mood to elaborate, not when the weight of the world feels like it's crushing him.
Elizabeth rises gracefully, her movements theatrical, as if she's performing for an audience only she can see.
"Ah, I see," she says, her voice lilting with a strange mix of curiosity and amusement. "Humans often seek comfort in such moments, do they not?" Before Makoto can respond, she steps closer, her presence both comforting and awkward, and wraps her arms around him in an embrace that feels sincere. "There, there" she murmurs, her tone comforting behind a mask of playfulness. "Better now?"
Makoto hesitates, then slowly returns the hug, his weariness momentarily giving way to a sense of relief. "Yeah... a little, thanks Liz" he admits, his voice soft. He pulls back slightly, his eyes searching hers. "Is Ryoji back?"
Elizabeth's expression shifts, a flicker of something unreadable passing across her face. "No" she replies simply, her voice carrying a note of solemnity. "Not yet, at least".
Makoto nods, his gaze dropping to the floor. "When he gets back... tell him I'm sorry" he says, his voice barely above a whisper. He turns toward the stairs, his movements sluggish, as if every step requires more effort than he can muster. "I'm going to sleep".
Elizabeth watches him go, her head tilting again, a faint smile playing on her lips. "I'll be sure to relay your message" she calls after him, her tone light but tinged with an enigmatic warmth.
As Makoto disappears up the stairs, she adds softly, almost to herself. "Rest well, dear guest. The night is long, but even the weariest souls find solace in dreams".